Lights, cameras, bricks!
Did you enjoy watching “The LEGO Movie”? Fun, entertaining, and enjoyable for both adults and children, right? Did you know these are the essence of the “LEGO” brand?
Yes, you guess right, this is not a coincidence. The LEGO Movie is an actual example of “Branded Content”. Well, a very successful one.
And the process of identifying the audience and their needs, and choosing the right communication and distribution channels is called “Branded content marketing”.
This comprehensive guide will dive into the branded content world, providing insights, examples, and its connection to popular platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and Instagram.
Branded content definition
Before going into the details, let’s establish a clear understanding:
Branded content refers to content created or sponsored by a brand, for an exchange of value, such as monetary payment; aiming to provide entertainment, or information to the audience while subtly promoting the brand.
It differs from sponsored content, but how different?
Difference between branded content vs sponsored content
Although branded content and sponsored content share similarities, they have subtle distinctions. Sponsored content involves a brand paying a publisher or influencer to create content promoting their products or services. In contrast, branded content aims to create a positive association between the brand and the audience by offering valuable content that aligns with their interests and needs.
The main distinction between branded and sponsored content lies in the focus and intent. Branded content primarily aims to provide value to the audience while subtly promoting the brand, while sponsored content focuses more explicitly on promoting the sponsoring brand through content created by a third-party publisher or influencer.
Moreover, for branded content, companies use rich types of content like video or sound to provide more value to the audience.
Read more in the “Sponsored Content: an ultimate guide with Examples” article
Branded content and native advertising
Native advertising and branded content go hand in hand. Native advertising involves seamlessly integrating advertising content within non-advertising content to create a more cohesive and engaging user experience. Branded content is often utilized as a part of native advertising strategies, where the brand’s content blends seamlessly with the surrounding editorial or organic content, offering value while subtly promoting the brand.
Native advertising, on the other hand, focuses on the placement and presentation of advertising content within the context of non-advertising content, often utilizing branded or sponsored content as a component.
Read more in the “Unleash the power of your marketing with Native Advertising” article
Branded content and product placement
Another related concept is product placement. While branded content focuses on creating valuable content, product placement involves featuring a brand’s products or services within existing content, such as films or TV shows. Product placement aims for exposure and visibility, whereas branded seeks to build a deeper connection with the audience by providing meaningful content.
Read more in the “Know Everything about Product Placement” article.
Branded content marketing
It encompasses the strategic approach and overall marketing strategy for creating and distributing content. It involves developing a brand content strategy that considers the target audience, their interests, and needs. A well-crafted brand content strategy guides the planning, development, and execution of branded content initiatives to engage and connect with the audience effectively.
Back to The LEGO Movie example, the movie itself is a branded content, but the strategic process of deciding what should be built, how it should be distributed, and how it should be promoted, is called Branded content marketing.
Branded content examples
Now, let’s explore some compelling examples of branded content in the real world.
Fitness Apparel Brand
Suppose a fitness apparel brand creates a series of informative and instructional videos on its website and social media channels. These videos provide workout tips, healthy recipes, and lifestyle advice related to fitness and wellness. Although the brand logo and products may be featured in the videos, the main emphasis is on delivering valuable content to the audience rather than overtly promoting the brand.
GoPro awards
GoPro company is using a creative combination of branded content and user-generated content. Instead of paying someone to create content or do it within the company, It established an interesting challenge called GoPro awards. By encouraging users to submit their photos and videos captured with GoPro cameras to win up to 1 million $, they showcase the breathtaking moments, thrilling adventures, and stunning visuals captured with GoPro cameras. These contents share with the #GoProaward which clarifies them as branded.
By showcasing the breathtaking moments, thrilling adventures, and stunning visuals captured with GoPro cameras, they not only highlight the capabilities of their products but also reinforce their brand image as a go-to choice for action and adventure enthusiasts.
Branded content Instagram
Instagram’s concept of branded content differs slightly from its marketing concept.
As it is mentioned in the Instagram Help Center, any content for which the creator has been compensated, either with money or something else of value, by a business partner is considered branded.
Therefore the Creators must tag the relevant brand or business partner when posting branded content, whether posting from a creator, business, or personal account.
By this definition, any kind of collaboration between brands and influencers like advertising posts or stories is considered Branded.
Examples of branded content on Instagram
One noteworthy example is Daniel Wellington, a watch brand, which often collaborates with influencers to showcase their stylish timepieces in carefully curated lifestyle posts. By aligning their brand with the influencer’s aesthetic and audience, they create authentic and engaging content that resonates with potential customers.
It is worth mentioning that while influencer advertising is a specific type of branded content, not all branded content involves influencers.
This concept can take various forms, including collaborations with content creators, user-generated content, brand-sponsored events, or even original content produced by the brand itself.
It encompasses any content that integrates the brand into the narrative, tells a story, or communicates the brand’s values and offerings to the audience.
Branded content Facebook
Facebook provides opportunities for brands to create engaging branded content through various formats, including videos, articles, and interactive campaigns. Brands can leverage Facebook’s wide reach and targeting capabilities to connect with their intended audience effectively.
Branded content tiktok
Like Instagram, the meaning of branded content on TikTok differs slightly from its marketing concept.
As it is mentioned in the TikTok support center, Branded on TikTok is defined as content that promotes goods or services where you will receive (or have already received) something of value from a third party, such as a brand, in exchange for your post, or which you might otherwise need to disclose in accordance with your local laws or regulations. It could be a brand endorsement, partnership, or another kind of promotion for a product or service.
TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, has also become a playground for branded content. Brands collaborate with TikTok creators to create entertaining and engaging videos that align with the platform’s trends and culture. By seamlessly integrating their products or messages into these videos, brands can capture the attention and interest of TikTok’s diverse user base.
Enhanced brand content
While reading about branded content, you may come across Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) or Amazon enhanced brand content. We define it very briefly:
Amazon offers enhanced brand content (EBC) to brand owners and sellers on its platform. EBC allows brands to showcase their products with enhanced visuals, detailed descriptions, and multimedia elements. This immersive content helps brands differentiate their products, highlight key features, and create a compelling shopping experience for customers.
To use Enhanced Brand Content, brand owners and sellers need to have brand registry enrollment or participate in the Amazon Brand Registry program. They can then access the EBC tool through their seller central account and create and customize the enhanced content for their product listings.
You can get more information at amazon seller central.
Key insights
- Branded content refers to content created or sponsored by a brand that provides value, entertainment, or information to the audience while subtly promoting the brand.
- Branded differs from sponsored content in that it focuses on providing value to the audience while subtly promoting the brand, whereas sponsored content explicitly promotes the sponsoring brand through content created by a third party.
- Branded content marketing encompasses the strategic approach and overall marketing strategy for creating and distributing content to engage and connect with the audience effectively.
- Examples of branded content on Instagram include collaborations between brands and influencers, such as Daniel Wellington’s partnerships with influencers to showcase their watches in lifestyle posts.
- GoPro Awards is an example of b. content that combines user-generated content and brand promotion by encouraging GoPro users to submit their captivating photos and videos captured with GoPro cameras.
- Facebook and TikTok offer opportunities for brands to create engaging content through various formats, leveraging the platforms’ reach and targeting capabilities.
- Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) on Amazon allows brands to showcase their products with enhanced visuals.
Image Credit: Freepik